A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Somoza family of Spain.
Reg. 9611 · Spanish, T–V
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
dieFortune met with a steady hand
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à un senestrochère arm., tenant une masse à picotons en barre, acc. de six dés marqués chacun de six points, rangés en deux pals, le tout d'arg.; acc. en chef de trois fleurs-de-lis rangées d'or, et en p. de deux fasces ondées d'arg.”
Spainc. 1722
Where the Somoza Arms Were Recorded
Castile
Map of Spain showing where the Somoza arms are recorded
The Somoza arms were recorded in Spain, c. 1722.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Castile.
Castile was the heart of Spain and the source of most of its noble families. Land won in the long wars against the Moors was granted out to fighting men, and a man granted land was granted arms along with it.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Spain in this period.
Philip V of Spain
Sovereign of the period
Philip V of Spain
1714–1724
Reigning in Spain when the Somoza arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Spain
In Spain, a coat of arms was considered a form of property that belonged to the entire family line. These arms were passed down from a father to all his children equally. Younger branches of the family usually kept the original design without needing to add any special marks to distinguish their specific line.
Granting authority
The Cronista Rey de Armas was the official body that regulated and granted coats of arms throughout Spain.
How they got arms
Families often obtained their arms through royal grants or by proving their noble status to the official heraldic authority.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the registers of the Cronista Rey de Armas starting in 1496.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Spain.
Origin & History of the Somoza Family in Spain
The surname Somoza originates from the northwestern regions of the Iberian Peninsula, specifically within the historic kingdom of Galicia. Linguistic experts suggest that the name is topographical, likely derived from the Galician phrase "so maza," which refers to someone living beneath a hill or a prominent geographical feature. By the early 18th century, members of the family had moved eastward into the heart of Castile. Records from 1722 confirm their presence in this region, where they integrated into the local social and administrative structures of the Spanish interior. During this era, the family name became associated with families of modest landholding status who participated in the local governance of their towns. As the family spread across the Spanish territories, they maintained their identity through these specific regional roots that linked them back to the rugged landscapes of northern Spain.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Summus
Latin term meaning highest, top, or peak.
This name
SomozaRefers to a person who lived at the top of a hill or mountain.
also spelled
Somosa
Somoz
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Pestaña, Felipe, Diccionario histórico, genealógico y heráldico de las familias ilustres de la monarquía española, 1863
Mogrobejo, Endika de, Diccionario hispano de apellidos y blasones, 1995
Archivo General de Simancas, Registro del Sello de Corte, 1722
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
dieFortune met with a steady hand
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
dieFortune met with a steady hand
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
